/ 
 
 PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States of America. 
 
 against 
 
 The Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D. 
 
 A mended charges and specifications 
 
 AS DELIVERED TO Dr. BRIGGS BY THE 
 MODERATOR IN OPEN SESSION OE JUDICA¬ 
 TORY. NOVEMBER qth, i8q2. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States oe 
 
 America, 
 
 Represented by 
 
 George W. F. Birch, I). I)., 
 Joseph J. Lampe, D. D., 
 Robert F. Sample, I). I)., 
 John J. Stevenson, 
 
 John J. McCook, 
 
 Prosecuting: 
 
 Committee. 
 
 
PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States of America, 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 The Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D. 
 
 A mended charges and specifications 
 
 AS DELIVERED TO Dr. BRIGGS BY THE 
 MODERATOR IN OPEN SESSION OF JUDICA¬ 
 TORY. NOVEMBER qth, 1892. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of 
 
 America, 
 
 Represented by 
 
 George W. F. Birch, D. D., 
 Joseph J. Lampe, D. D., 
 Robert F. Sample, D. D., 
 John J. Stevenson, 
 
 John J. McCook, 
 
 Prosecuting 
 
 Committee. 
 
1 
 
 PRESS OF 
 DOUGLAS TAYLOR 
 S WARREN ST. 
 N, V. 
 
 I 
 
PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States 
 
 of America 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 The Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D. 
 
 Amended Charges >nd Specifications. 
 
 Charge I. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer¬ 
 ica charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being a 
 Minister of the said Church and a member of the Presby¬ 
 tery of New York, with teaching that the Reason is a 
 fountain of divine authority which may and does savingly 
 enlighten men, even such men as reject the Scriptures as 
 the authoritative proclamation of the will of God and 
 reject also the way of salvation through the mediation 
 and sacrifice of the Son of God as revealed therein; 
 which is contrary to the essential doctrine of the Holy 
 Scripture and of the Standards of the said Church, that 
 the Holy Scripture is most necessary, and the rule of faith 
 and practice. 
 
 SPECIFICATION 1. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.I)., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published and 
 extensively circulated with the knowledge and approval 
 of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has been 
 
4 
 
 republished by him in a second edition with a preface and 
 an appendix, there occur the following sentences, 
 
 Page 24, lines 7-10 and 31-33: 
 
 “ Divine authority is the only authority to which man 
 can yield implicit obedience, on which he can rest in loving 
 certainty and build with joyous confidence. * * * There 
 are historically three great fountains of divine authority 
 the Bible, the Church, and the Reason.” 
 
 Page 27, lines 9 to 21: 
 
 u Martineau could not find divine authority in the 
 Church or the Bible, but he did find God enthroned in his 
 own soul. There are those who would refuse these rational¬ 
 ists a place in the company of the faithf ul. But they forget 
 that the essential thing is to find God and divine certainty, 
 and if these men have found God without the mediation of 
 Church and Bible, Church and Bible are means and not 
 ends; they are avenues to God, but are not God. We 
 regret that these rationalists depreciate the means of grace 
 so essential to most of us, but we are warned lest we 
 commit a similar error, and depreciate the reason and the 
 Christian consciousness.” 
 
 Inaugural Address, Appendix, Second Edition, pages 
 88, 89: 
 
 “(c.) Unless God’s authority is discerned in the forms 
 of the Reason, there is no ground upon which any of the 
 heathen could ever have been saved, for they know noth¬ 
 ing of Bible or Church. If they are not savingly enlight¬ 
 ened by the Light of the World in the forms of the Reason 
 the whole heathen world is lost forever.” 
 
 SPECIFICATION II. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20tli, 1891 on the 
 
occasion of liis induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occur the following sentences : 
 
 Page 28, lines 1 to 22: 
 
 k ( 3 .) The Authority of Holy Scripture. —We have ex¬ 
 amined the Church and the Reason as seats of divine au¬ 
 thority in an introduction to our theme, the Authority of 
 the Scriptures , because they open our eyes to see mistakes 
 that are common to the, three departments. Protestant 
 Christianity builds its faith and life on the divine authority 
 contained in the Scriptures, and too often depreciates the 
 Church and the Reason. Spurgeon is an example of the 
 average modern Evangelical, who holds the Protestant 
 position, and assails the Church and Reason in the interest 
 of the authority of Scripture. But the average opinion 
 of the Christian world would not assign him a higher place 
 in the kingdom of God than Martineau or Newman. May 
 we not conclude, on the whole, that these three represen¬ 
 tative Christians of our time, living in or near the world’s 
 metropolis, have, each in his way, found God and rested 
 on divine authority? May we not learn from them not to 
 depreciate any of the means whereby God makes himself 
 known to men ? Men are influenced by their temperaments 
 and environments which of the three ways of access to God 
 they may pursue.” 
 
 These declarations are contrary to Scripture: 
 
 Isaiah viii. 20. To the law and to the testimony: if 
 
 they speak not according to this word, it is because there 
 is no light in them. 
 
 Matt. x. 32, 33.—32 Whosoever therefore shall confess 
 me before men, him will I confess also before my Father 
 
6 
 
 wliicli is in lieaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me 
 before men, him will 1 also deny before my Father which 
 is in heaven. 
 
 Luke xvi. 29-31.—29 Abraham saith unto him, They 
 have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear them. 30 And 
 he said, Nay, father Abraham : but if one went unto them 
 from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto 
 him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will 
 
 ft 
 
 they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. 
 
 John v. 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye 
 think ye have eternal life; And they are they which testify 
 of me. 
 
 John xiv. 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and 
 the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, 
 but by me. 
 
 1 John v. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath 
 the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath 
 made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that 
 God gave of his Son. 
 
 Gal. i. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any 
 man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have 
 received, let him be accursed. 
 
 2 Timothy iii. 15-17.—15 And that from a child thou 
 
 hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make 
 thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in 
 Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of 
 God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor¬ 
 rection, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the 
 
 man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto 
 all good works. 
 
 2 Peter i. 19-21.—19 We have also a more sure word 
 of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as 
 unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day 
 dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing 
 this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any 
 
private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in 
 old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake 
 as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the Standards: 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. I., Secs. I., V., VI., X. 
 
 I. Although the light of nature, and the works of crea¬ 
 tion and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wis¬ 
 dom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet 
 they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God , and 
 of his will , which is necessary unto salvation; therefore it 
 pleased the Lord , at sundry times, and in divers manners, 
 to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his 
 church; and afterwards , for the better preserving and 
 propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establish¬ 
 ment and comfort of the church against the corruption of 
 the liesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to 
 commit the same wholly unto writing : which maketh the 
 Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways 
 of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now 
 ceased. 
 
 V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of 
 the church to an high and reverent esteem for the Holy 
 Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy 
 of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all 
 the parts, the scope of the whole, (which is to give all 
 glory to God,) the full discovery it makes of the only way 
 of man's salvation , the many other incomparable excel¬ 
 lencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments 
 whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the word 
 of God; yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and 
 assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority 
 thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bear¬ 
 ing witness by and, with the word in our hearts. 
 
8 
 
 VI. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things 
 necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and 
 life, is either expressly set doion in Scripture, or by good 
 and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scrip¬ 
 ture : unto which nothing at any time is to be added, 
 whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of 
 men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumina¬ 
 tion of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving 
 understanding of such things as are revealed in the word; 
 and that there are some circumstances concerning the wor¬ 
 ship of God, and government of the church, common to 
 human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by 
 the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to 
 the general rules of the word, which are always to be 
 observed. 
 
 X. The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of 
 religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, 
 opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private 
 spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are 
 to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in 
 the Scripture. 
 
 Larger Catechism. 
 
 Q. 2. How doth it appear that there is a God f 
 
 A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of 
 God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and 
 Spirit only , do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto 
 men for their salvation, 
 
 Q. 8. What is the word of God ? 
 
 A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 
 are the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience. 
 Shorter Catechism. 
 
 Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we 
 may glorify and enjoy him f 
 
9 
 
 A. The word of God, which is contained in the Scrip¬ 
 tures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to 
 direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. 
 
 Charge II. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of 
 America charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., be 
 ing a Minister of the said Church and a member of the 
 Presbytery of New York, with teaching that the Church 
 is a fountain of divine authority which, apart from the 
 Holy Scripture, may and does savingly enlighten men • 
 which is contrary to the essential doctrine of the Holy 
 Scripture and of the Standards of the said Church, that the 
 Holy Scripture is most necessary and the rule of faith and 
 practice. 
 
 SPECIFICATION I. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.I)., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.I)., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occur the following sentences: 
 
 Page 24, lines 7-10 and 81-88: 
 
 4 ‘ Divine authority is the only authority to which man 
 can yield implicit obedience, on which he can rest in loving 
 certainty and build with joyous confidence. * * * There 
 are historically three great fountains of divine authority— 
 the Bible, the Church, and the Reason. 
 
10 
 
 Page 25, lines 1 to 14 inclusive. 
 
 “(1.) The Authority of the Church. —The majority of 
 Christians from the apostolic age have found God through 
 the Church. Martyrs and Saints, Fathers and Schoolmen, 
 the profoundest intellects, the saintliest lives, have had 
 this experience. Institutional Christianity has been to 
 them the presence-chamber of God. They have therein 
 and thereby entered into communion with all saints. It 
 is difficult for many Protestants to regard this experience 
 as any other than pious illusion and delusion. But what 
 shall we say of a modern like Newman, who could not 
 reach certainty, striving never so hard, through the Bible 
 or the Reason, but who did find divine authority in the 
 institutions of the Church ? ’ ’ 
 
 SPECIFICATION II. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a pre¬ 
 face and an appendix, there occur the following sen¬ 
 tences : 
 
 Page 28, lines 1 to 22, are: 
 
 “ (3.) The Authority of Holy Scripture. —We have exam¬ 
 ined the Church and the Reason as seats of divine authority 
 in an introduction to our theme, the Authority of the Scrip¬ 
 tures , because they open our eyes to see mistakes that are 
 common to the three departments. Protestant Christianity 
 builds its faith and life on the divine authority contained 
 
11 
 
 in the Scriptures, and too often depreciates the Church 
 and the Reason. Spurgeon is an example of the average 
 modern Evangelical, who holds the Protestant position, 
 and assails the Church and Reason in the interest of 
 the authority of Scripture. But the average opinion of 
 the Christian world would not assign him a higher place 
 in the kingdom of God than Martineau or Newman. May 
 we not conclude, on the whole, that these three represen¬ 
 tative Christians of our time, living in or near the world’s 
 metropolis, have, each in his way, found God and rested 
 on divine authority? May we not learn from them not to 
 depreciate any of the means whereby God makes himself 
 known to men? Men are influenced by their tempera¬ 
 ments and environments which of the three ways of access 
 to God they may pursue.” 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the Holy Scrip¬ 
 ture. 
 
 Isaiah viii. 20. To the law and to the testimony: if 
 they speak not according to this word, it is because there 
 is no light in them. 
 
 Matt. x. 32, 33.—32 Whosoever therefore shall confess 
 me before men, him will I confess also before my Father 
 which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me 
 before men, him will I also deny before my Father which 
 is in heaven. 
 
 Luke xvi. 29-31.—29 Abraham saith unto him, They 
 have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And 
 he said, Nay, father Abraham ; but if one went unto them 
 from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto 
 him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will 
 they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. 
 
 John v. 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye 
 think ye have eternal life ; And they are they which testify 
 of me. 
 
 John xiv. 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and 
 
12 
 
 the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father 
 but by me. 
 
 1 John y. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God 
 hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God, 
 hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record 
 that God gave of his Son. 
 
 Gal. i. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, if any 
 man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have 
 received, let him be accursed. 
 
 2 Timothy iii. 15-17.—15 And that from a child thou 
 
 hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make 
 thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ 
 Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
 and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
 for instruction in righteousness : 17 That the man of God 
 
 may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
 works. 
 
 2 Peter i. 19-21.—19 We have also a more sure word 
 of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as 
 unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day 
 dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing 
 this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any 
 private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in 
 old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake 
 as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the Standards: 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. T., Secs. I., V., YI., X. 
 
 I. Although the light of nature, and the works of crea¬ 
 tion and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wis¬ 
 dom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet 
 they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God , and 
 of his will , which is necessary unto salvation; therefore 
 it pleased the Lord , at sundry times, and in divers man- 
 
13 
 
 ners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will nnto 
 his church ; and afterwards for the better preserving and 
 propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establish¬ 
 ment and comfort of the church against the corruption of 
 the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to 
 commit the same wholly unto writing : which maketh the 
 Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former 
 ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being 
 now ceased. 
 
 Y. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of 
 the church to an high and reverent esteem for the Holy 
 Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy 
 of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all 
 the parts, the scope of the whole, (which is to give all 
 glory to God,) the full discovery it makes of the only way 
 of man's salvation , the many other incomparable excel¬ 
 lencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments 
 whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the word 
 of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and 
 assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority 
 thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bear¬ 
 ing witness by and with the word in our hearts. 
 
 YI. The whole counsel of God, concerning all things 
 necessary for his own glory , man's salvation, faith, and 
 life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good 
 and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scrip¬ 
 ture : unto which nothing at any time is to be added, 
 whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of 
 men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumina¬ 
 tion of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving 
 understanding of such things as are revealed in the word; 
 and that there are some circumstances concerning the wor¬ 
 ship of God, and government of the church, common to 
 
14 
 
 human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by 
 the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to 
 the general rules of the word, which are always to be 
 observed. 
 
 \ 
 
 X. The Supreme Judge , by which all controversies of 
 religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, 
 opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private 
 spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are 
 to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in 
 the Scripture. 
 
 Larger Catechism. 
 
 Q. 2. How doth it appear that there is a God f 
 
 A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of 
 God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word 
 and' Spirit only , do sufficiently and effectually reveal him 
 unto men for their salvation. 
 
 Q. 3. What is the word of God f 
 
 A. Ihe Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 
 are the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience. 
 
 Shorter Catechism. 
 
 i 
 
 Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we 
 may glorify and enjoy him f 
 
 A. The word of God, which is contained in the Scrip¬ 
 tures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to 
 direct us how we may glorify avid enjoy him. 
 
 Charge III. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer¬ 
 ica charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being a 
 Minister of the said Church and a member of the Pres¬ 
 bytery of New York, with teaching that errors may have 
 
15 
 
 existed in the original text of the Holy Scripture, as it 
 came from its authors, which is contrary to the essential 
 doctrine taught in the Holy Scripture and in the Standards 
 of the said Church, that the Holy Scripture is the Word 
 of God written, immediately inspired, and the rule of 
 faith and practice. 
 
 SPECIFICATION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occur the following sentences, 
 beginning with line 4 of page 85: 
 
 “ I shall venture to affirm that, so far as I can see, 
 there are errors in the Scriptures that no one has 
 been able to explain away; and the theory that they were 
 not in the original text is sheer assumption, upon which 
 no mind can rest with certainty. If such errors destroy 
 the authority of the Bible, it is already destroyed for his¬ 
 torians. Men cannot shut their eyes to truth and fact. 
 But on what authority do these theologians drive men from 
 the Bible by this theory of inerrancy? The Bible itself 
 nowhere makes this claim. The creeds of the Church 
 nowhere sanction it. It is a ghost of modern evangelical¬ 
 ism to frighten children. The Bible has maintained its 
 authority with the best scholars of our time, who with 
 open minds have been willing to recognize any error that 
 might be pointed out by Historical Criticism; for these 
 errors are all in the circumstantials and not in the essen¬ 
 tials ; they are in the human setting, notin the precious jewel 
 
16 
 
 itself; they are found in that section of the Bible that 
 theologians commonly account for from the providential 
 superintendence of the mind of the author, as distinguished 
 from divine revelation itself. It may be that this provi¬ 
 dential superintendence gives infallible guidance in every 
 particular; and it may be that it differs but little, if at all, 
 from the providential superintendence of the fathers and 
 schoolmen and theologians of the Christian Church. It is 
 not important for our purpose that we should decide this 
 question. If we should abandon the whole field of provi¬ 
 dential superintendence so far as inspiration and divine 
 authority are concerned and limit divine inspiration and 
 authority to the essential contents of the Bible, to its 
 religion, faith, and morals, we would still have ample room 
 to seek divine authority where alone it is essential, or even 
 important, in the teaching that guides our devotions, our 
 thinking, and our conduct.” 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the statements of 
 Scripture: 
 
 Zech. vii. 12. Yea, they made their hearts as an ada¬ 
 mant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words 
 which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the 
 former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the 
 Lord of hosts. 
 
 Mark vii. 13. Making the work of God of none effect 
 through you tradition, which ye have delivered: and 
 many such like things do ye. 
 
 Romans iii. 1, 2.—1 What advantage then hath the 
 Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much 
 every way: chiefly, because that unto them were com¬ 
 mitted the oracles of God. 
 
 1 Cor. ii. 13. Which things also we speak, not in the 
 words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy 
 Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
 
17 
 
 Galatians iii. 8. And the Scripture, foreseeing that 
 God would justify the heathen through faith, preached 
 before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying , In thee shall 
 all nations be blessed. 
 
 2 Pet. i. 20, 21.—20 Knowing this first, that no proph¬ 
 ecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 
 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: 
 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 2 Tim. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of 
 God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc¬ 
 tion, for instruction in righteousness. 
 
 These statements are contrary to the Standards. 
 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. I., Secs. I., II., IV., VIII. 
 
 I. Although the light of nature, and the works of 
 creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, 
 wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; 
 yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, 
 and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation; there¬ 
 fore it pleased the Lord , at sundry times , and in divers 
 manners , to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto 
 his Church; and afterwards , for the better preserving 
 and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure estab¬ 
 lishment and comfort of the church against the corruption 
 of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to 
 commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the 
 Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of 
 God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. 
 
 II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the word of 
 God written , are now contained all the books of the Old 
 and New Testament, which are these: 
 
18 
 
 Genesis. 
 
 Exodus. 
 
 Leviticus. 
 
 Numbers. 
 
 Deuteronomy. 
 
 Joshua. 
 
 Judges. 
 
 Ruth. 
 
 I. Samuel. 
 
 II. Samuel. 
 
 I. Kings. 
 
 II. Kings. 
 
 I. Chronicles. 
 
 OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 II. Chronicles. 
 
 Ezra. 
 
 Nehemiah. 
 
 Esther. 
 
 Job. 
 
 Psalms. 
 
 Proverbs. 
 
 Ecclesiastes. 
 
 The Song of Songs. 
 Isaiah. 
 
 Jeremiah. 
 
 Lamentations. 
 
 Ezekiel. 
 
 Daniel. 
 
 Hosea. 
 
 Joel. 
 
 Amos. 
 
 Obadiah. 
 
 Jonah. 
 
 Micah. 
 
 Nahum. 
 
 Habakkuk. 
 
 Zephaniah. 
 
 Haggai. 
 
 Zechariah. 
 
 Malachi. 
 
 \ 
 
 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 The Gospels accord¬ 
 ing to 
 Matthew, 
 
 Mark, 
 
 Luke, 
 
 John. 
 
 The Acts of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 Paul’s Epistles to the 
 Romans. 
 Corinthians, I. 
 
 Corinthians, II. 
 Galatians. 
 Ephesians. 
 Philippians. 
 Colossians. 
 Thessalonians, I. 
 Thessalonians, II. 
 To Timothy, p 
 To Timothy, II. 
 To Titus. 
 
 To Philemon. 
 
 The Epistle to the 
 Hebrews. 
 
 The Epistle of James. 
 The first and second 
 Epistles of Peter. 
 The first, second and 
 third Epistles of 
 John. 
 
 The Epistle of Jude. 
 The Revelation. 
 
 All which are given by inspiration of God , to be the 
 rule of faith and life . 
 
 IV . The authority of the Holy Scripture , (for which it 
 ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the 
 testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God , 
 (who is truth itself,) the author thereof; and therefore it 
 is to be received , because it is the word of God. 
 
 VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the 
 native language of the people of God of old,) and the New 
 Testament in Greek, (which at the time of the writing of 
 
19 
 
 it was most generally known to the nations,) being imme¬ 
 diately inspired by God , and by his singular care and 
 providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; 
 so as in all controversies of religion the Church is finally 
 to appeal unto them. But because these original tongues 
 are not known to all the people of God who have right 
 unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, 
 m the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore 
 they aie to be translated into the vulgar language of every 
 nation unto which they come, that the word of God dwell¬ 
 ing plentifully in all, they may worship him in an accept¬ 
 able manner, and, through patience and comfort of the 
 Scriptures, may have hope. 
 
 Chakge IY. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America 
 charges the.Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D, being a Min¬ 
 ister in said Church and a member of the Presby¬ 
 tery of New York, with teaching that many of the 
 Old Testament predictions have been reversed by history, 
 and that the great body of Messianic prediction has not 
 been and cannot be fulfilled, which is contrary to the essen¬ 
 tial doctrine of Holy Scripture and of the Standards of the 
 
 said Church, that God is true, omniscient and unchange¬ 
 able. & 
 
 SPECIFICATION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Biiggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 
20 
 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occur the following sentences: 
 
 Page 38, lines 20 to 30: 
 
 “(6.) Minute Prediction.— Another barrier to the 
 Bible has been the interpretation put upon Predictive 
 Prophecy , making it a sort of history before the time, and 
 looking anxiously for the fulfillment of the details of 
 Biblical prediction. Kuenen has shown that if we insist 
 upon the fulfillment of the details of the predictive 
 prophecy of the Old Testament, many of these predictions 
 have been reversed by history ; and the great body of the 
 Messianic prediction has not only never been fulfilled, but 
 cannot now be fulfilled, for the reason that its own time 
 has passed forever. ’ ’ 
 
 This declaration is contrary to Scripture: 
 
 Matt. v. 17, 18.—17 Think not I am come to de¬ 
 stroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, 
 but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven 
 and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass 
 
 from the law, till all be fulfilled. 
 
 Matt. xxiv. 15. When ye, therefore, shall see the 
 abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the 
 prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him 
 understand.) 
 
 Dan. xii. 11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice 
 shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh 
 desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred 
 and ninety days. 
 
 Luke xxiv. 44. And he said unto them, These are the 
 words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, 
 that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the 
 law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms 
 concerning me. 
 
21 
 
 Exodus xxxiv. 6. And the Lord passed by before him, 
 
 and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and 
 
 gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and 
 truth. 
 
 Hebrews iv. 13. . Neither is there any creature that is 
 not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and 
 opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 
 
 James i. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is 
 from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, 
 with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 
 
 This declaration is contrary to the Standards: 
 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. I., Section IY. 
 
 The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it 
 ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the 
 testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God, 
 (;ioho is truth itself), the author thereof; and therefore it 
 is to be received, because it is the word of God. 
 
 Chap. II., Sec. I., II. 
 
 \ 
 
 I. There is but one only living and true God, who is 
 infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, in¬ 
 visible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, im¬ 
 mense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, 
 most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things 
 according to the counsel of his own immutable and most 
 i ighteous will, for his own glory; most loving, gracious, 
 mercif ul, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, 
 forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin; the re warder of 
 them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and 
 teirible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by 
 no means clear the guilty. 
 
 II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in 
 ana of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all- 
 sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he 
 
22 
 
 hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only 
 manifesting his own glory in, by, unto and upon them: 
 he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through 
 whom, and to whom, are all things: and hath most sover¬ 
 eign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or 
 upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight 
 all things are open and manifest / his knowledge is in¬ 
 finite , infallible , and independent upon the creature , so 
 as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most 
 holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his 
 commands. To him is due from angels and men, and 
 every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedi¬ 
 ence, he is pleased to require of them. 
 
 Shorter Catechism. 
 
 Q. 4. What is God f 
 
 A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in 
 his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and 
 truth. 
 
 Charge V. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of 
 America charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being 
 a Minister of the said Church and a member of the Pres¬ 
 bytery of New York, with teaching that Moses is not the 
 author of the Pentateuch, which is contrary to direct state¬ 
 ments of Holy Scripture and to the essential doctrines of 
 the Standards of the said Church, that the Holy Scrip¬ 
 ture evidences itself to be the word of God by the consent 
 of all the parts, and that the infallible rule of interpreta¬ 
 tion of Scripture is the Scripture itself. 
 
 SPECIFICATION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, wdiich the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi- 
 
nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a 
 
 preface and an appendix, there occurs the following sen- 
 tence: 
 
 Page 33, lines 6-8. 
 
 1 ‘ It may be regarded as the certain result of the science 
 
 of the Higher Criticism that Moses did not write the Pen- 
 tateuch.” 
 
 This declaration is contrary to direct statements of 
 Scripture. 
 
 Ex. xxiv. 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the 
 Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an 
 altar under the hill, and twelve pillars according to the 
 twelve tribes of Israel. 
 
 Num. xxxiii. 2. And Moses wrote their goings out 
 according to their journeys by the commandment of the 
 
 Lord: and these are their journeys according to their 
 goings out. 
 
 Leut. v. 31. But as for thee, stand thou here by me, 
 and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the 
 statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, 
 
 that they may do them in the land which I give them to 
 possess it. 
 
 I)eut. xxxi. 9. And Moses wrote this law, and de- 
 liveied it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the 
 
 ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of 
 Israel. 
 
 Josh. i. 7, 8.—7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, 
 that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law 
 
24 
 
 which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from 
 it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper 
 whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall 
 not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate 
 therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do 
 according to all that is written therein : for then thou shalt, 
 make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good 
 success. 
 
 1 Kings ii. 3. And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, 
 to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his com¬ 
 mandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it 
 is written in the law of Moses that thou mayest prosper in 
 all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself. 
 
 1. Chron. vi. 49. But Aaron and his sons offered upon 
 the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, 
 and were appointed for all the work of the place most 
 holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to 
 all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 
 
 Ezra iii. 2. Then stood up Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, 
 and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of 
 Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the 
 God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is 
 written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 
 
 Ezra vi. 18. And they set the priests in their divisions, 
 and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, 
 which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of 
 Moses. 
 
 ISTeh. i. 7. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, 
 and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, 
 nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant 
 Moses. 
 
 Luke xxiv. 27, 44.—27 And beginning at Moses, and 
 all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the 
 Scriptures the things concerning himself. 44 And he 
 said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto 
 
you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be ful¬ 
 filled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the 
 prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 
 
 John y. 45 to 47.—45 Do not think that I will accuse 
 you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even 
 Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, 
 ye would have believed me : for he wrote of me. 47 But 
 if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my 
 words. 
 
 Acts vii. 38. This is he that was in the church in the 
 wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the 
 Mount Sina, and with our fathers : avIio received the lively 
 oracles to give unto us. 
 
 Acts xv. 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city 
 them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every 
 sabbath day. 
 
 This declaration is contrary to the Standards. 
 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. I., Secs. V. and IX. 
 
 V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of 
 the church to an high and reverent esteem for the Holy 
 Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy 
 of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all 
 the parts, the scope of the whole, (which is to give all 
 glory to God,) the full discovery it makes of the only way 
 of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excel¬ 
 lencies, and the entire perfection thereof , are arguments 
 ivhereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the word 
 of God; yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and 
 assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority 
 thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bear¬ 
 ing witness by and with the word in our hearts. 
 
 IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture 
 is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a 
 
26 
 
 question about tlie true and full sense of any scripture, 
 which is not manifold, but one,) it may be searched and) 
 known by other places that speak more clearly. 
 
 Charge VI. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer¬ 
 ica charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being a 
 Minister of the said Church and a member of the Pres¬ 
 bytery of New York, with teaching that Isaiah is not the 
 author of half of the book that bears his name, which is 
 contrary to direct statements of Holy Scripture and to the 
 essential doctrines of the Standards of the said Church 
 that the Holy Scripture evidences itself to be the word of 
 God by the consent of all the parts, and that the infalli¬ 
 ble rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture 
 itself. 
 
 SPECIFICATION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and lias 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occurs the following sentence: 
 
 Page 33, lines 14-15 : 
 
 ‘ ‘ Isaiah did not write half of the book that bears his 
 name.” 
 
 This declaration is contrary to direct statements of 
 Scripture: 
 
 Matt. iv. 14, 15.—14 That it might be fulfilled which 
 was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land 
 
27 
 
 of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthalim, by the way of the 
 sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 
 
 Matt. xii. 17,18.—17 That it might be fulfilled which was 
 spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my ser¬ 
 vant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul 
 is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he 
 shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 
 
 Luke iii. 4. As it is written in the book of the words 
 of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in 
 the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his 
 paths straight. 
 
 Acts xxviii. 25, 26.-25 And when they agreed not 
 among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had 
 spoken one word, well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias 
 the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this 
 people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not un¬ 
 derstand ; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. 
 
 John xii. 38, 41.—38 That the saying of Esaias the 
 prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath 
 believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord 
 been revealed? 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw 
 his glory and spake of him. 
 
 Rom. x. 16, 20.—16 But they have not all obeyed the 
 gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our 
 report? 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found 
 of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto 
 them that asked not after me. 
 
 This declaration is contrary to the Standards. 
 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. I, Secs. Y. and IX. 
 
 7. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of 
 the church to an high and reverent esteem for the Holy 
 Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy 
 of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of 
 all the parts , the scope of the whole, (which is to give all 
 
28 
 
 glory to God,) the full discovery it makes of the only way 
 of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excel¬ 
 lencies, and the entire perfection thereof , are arguments 
 whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the loord 
 of God; yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and 
 assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority 
 thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bear¬ 
 ing witness by and with the word in our hearts. 
 
 IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture 
 is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a ques¬ 
 tion about the true and full sense of any scripture, (which 
 is not manifold, but one,) it may be searched and known 
 by other places that speak more clearly. 
 
 Charge VII. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer¬ 
 ica charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being a 
 minister of said Church, and a member of the Presbytery 
 of New York, with teaching that the processes of redemp¬ 
 tion extend to the world to come in the case of many 
 who die in sin; which is contrary to the essential doctrine 
 of Holy Scripture and the Standards of the said Church, 
 that the processes of redemption are limited to this world. 
 
 SPECIFIC A TION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.I)., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 
29 
 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a pre¬ 
 face and an appendix, there occur the following sen- 
 tences: 
 
 Page 50: 1 k The processes of redemption ever keep the 
 i ace in mind. The Bible tells us of a race origin, a race 
 sin, a race ideal, a race Redeemer, and a race redemp¬ 
 tion.” 
 
 Page 53: (c.) Another fault of Protestant theology is 
 in its limitation of the process of redemption to this world, 
 and its neglect of those vast periods of time which have 
 elapsed for most men in the Middle State between death 
 and the resurrection.” 
 
 Pages 55 and 56. u The Bible does not teach universal 
 salvation, but it does teach the salvation of the world, 
 of the race of man, and that cannot be accomplished by 
 the selection of a limited number of individuals from the 
 mass. The holy arm that worketh salvation does not con¬ 
 tract its hand in grasping only a few; it stretches its loving 
 fingers so as to comprehend as many as possible—a definite 
 number, but multitudes that no one can number. The 
 salvation of the world can only mean the world as a 
 whole, compared with which the unredeemed will be so 
 few and insignificant, and evidently beyond the reach of 
 redemption by their own act of rejecting it and hardening 
 themselves against it, and by descending into such depths 
 of demoniacal depravity in the Middle State, that they 
 will vanish from the sight of the redeemed as altogether 
 and irredeemably evil, and never more disturb the har¬ 
 monies of the saints.” 
 
 Inaugural Address, Appendix, 2d ed. 
 
 Page 104. This raises the question whether any man is 
 irretrievably lost ere he commits this unpardonable sin, 
 and whether those who do not commit it in this world ere 
 they die are, by the mei*e crisis of death, brought into an 
 
30 
 
 unpardonable state; and whether, when Jesus said that 
 this sin against the Holy Spirit was unpardonable here and 
 also hereafter, he did not imply that all other sins might 
 be pardoned hereafter as well as here. 
 
 These declarations are contrary to direct statements of 
 Scripture: 
 
 Prov. xi. 7. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation 
 shall perish : and the hope of unjust men perisheth. 
 
 Luke xvi. 22, 23.—22 And it came to pass that the 
 beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s 
 bosom : the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And 
 in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth 
 Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
 
 John viii. 24. For if ye believe not that I am He y ye 
 shall die in your sins. 
 
 II. Cor. vi. 2. Behold, now is the accepted time; be¬ 
 hold, now is the day of salvation. 
 
 Heb. iv. 7. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not 
 your hearts. 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the Standards: 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. XXXII., Sec. I. 
 
 I. The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see 
 corruption : but their souls, (which neither die nor sleep), 
 having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to 
 God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being 
 then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest 
 heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and 
 glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies: 
 and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell , where they 
 remain in torments and utter darkness , reserved to the 
 judgment of the great day . Besides these two places for 
 souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowl¬ 
 edged none. 
 
31 
 
 Larger Catechism, 
 
 Q. 83. What is the communion in glory with Christ , 
 which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this 
 life f 
 
 A. The members of the invisible church have communi¬ 
 cated to them, in this life, the first-fruits of glory with 
 Christ, as they are members of him their head, and so in 
 him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed 
 of; and as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God’s 
 love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope 
 of glory. As, on the contrary, sense of God’s revenging 
 wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of 
 judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of the torments, 
 which they shall endure after death. 
 
 Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ , 
 which the members of the invisible church enjoy immedi¬ 
 ately after death f 
 
 A. The communion in glory with Christ, which the 
 members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after 
 death, is in that their souls are then made perfect in holi¬ 
 ness, and received into the highest heavens, where they 
 behold the face of God in light and glory; waiting for the 
 full redemption of their bodies, which even in death con¬ 
 tinue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in their 
 beds, till at the last day they be again united to their souls. 
 Whereas the souls of the wicked are at their death cast 
 into hell , where they remain in torments and utter dark¬ 
 ness ; and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their 
 prisons until the resurrection and judgment of the great 
 day. 
 
 Charge VIII. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in the United States of 
 America charges the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., being 
 a Minister of the said Church and a member of the 
 
32 
 
 Presbytery of New York, with teaching that Sanctifica¬ 
 tion is not complete at death, which is contrary to the 
 essential doctrine of Holy Scripture and of the Standards 
 of the said Church that the souls of believers are ats 
 their death at once made perfect in holiness. 
 
 SPECIFICATION. 
 
 In an Inaugural Address, which the said Rev. Charles 
 A. Briggs, D.D., delivered at the Union Theological Semi¬ 
 nary in the City of New York, January 20th, 1891, on the 
 occasion of his induction into the Edward Robinson Chair 
 of Biblical Theology, which Address has been published 
 and extensively circulated with the knowledge and ap¬ 
 proval of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., and has 
 been republished by him in a second edition with a preface 
 and an appendix, there occur the following sentences: 
 
 Pages 53, 54, 55: 
 
 “ (c.) Another fault of Protestant theology is in its limi¬ 
 tation of the process of redemption to this world, and 
 its neglect of those vast periods of time which have 
 elapsed for most men in the Middle State between death 
 and the resurrection. The Roman Catholic Church is 
 firmer here, though it smears the Biblical doctrine with 
 not a few hurtful errors. The reaction against this limita¬ 
 tion, as seen in the theory of second probation, is not sur¬ 
 prising. I do not find this doctrine in the Bible, but I do 
 find in the Bible the doctrine of a Middle State of con¬ 
 scious higher life in the communion with Christ and the 
 multitude of the departed of all ages; and of the neces- 
 sity of entire sanctification, in order that the work of re¬ 
 demption may be completed. There is no authority in the 
 Scriptures, or in the creeds of Christendom, for the 
 doctrine of immediate sanctification at death. The only 
 sanctification known to experience, to Christian orthodoxy, 
 and to the Bible, is progressive sanctification. Progressive 
 
 
santification after death, is the doctrine of the Bible 
 and the Church; and it is of vast importance in our 
 times that we should understand it, and live in accordance 
 with it. The bugbear of a judgment immediately after 
 death, and the illusion of a magical transformation in the 
 dying hour, should be banished from the world. They are 
 conceits derived from the Ethnic religions, and without 
 basis in the Bible or Christian experience as expressed in 
 the symbols of the Church. The former makes death a 
 terror to the best of men, the latter makes human life and 
 experience of no effect; and both cut the nerves of Chris¬ 
 tian activity and striving after sanctification. Renouncing 
 them as hurtful, unchristian errors, we look with hope 
 and joy for the continuation of the processes of grace, and 
 the wonders of redemption in the company of the blessed, 
 to which the faithful are all hastening.” 
 
 Inaugural Address, Appendix, 2d ed., pages 107, 108, 
 
 Sanctification has two sides—a negative and a positive— 
 mortification and vivification; the former is manward, the 
 latter is God ward. Believers who enter the middle state, 
 enter guiltless; they are pardoned and justified; they are 
 mantled in the blood and righteousness of Christ; and 
 nothing will be able to separate them from His love. They 
 are also delivered from all temptations such as spring 
 from without, from the world and the devil. They are 
 encircled with influences for good such as they have 
 never enjoyed before. But they are still the same persons, 
 with all the gifts and graces, and also the same habits of 
 mind, disposition, and temper they had when they left the 
 world. Death destroys the body. It does not change the 
 moral and religious nature of man. It is unpsychological 
 and unethical to suppose that the character of the disem¬ 
 bodied spirit will all be changed in the moment of death. 
 It is the Manichean heresy to hold that sin belongs to the 
 physical organization and is laid aside with the body. If 
 this were so, how can any of our race carry their evil 
 
34 
 
 natures with them into the middle state and incur the pun¬ 
 ishment of their sins? The eternal punishment of a man 
 whose evil nature has been stripped from him by death 
 and left in the grave, is an absurdity. The Plymouth 
 Brethren hold that there are two natures in the redeemed 
 
 the old man and the new. In accordance with such a 
 theory, the old man might be cast off at death. But this 
 is only a more subtle kind of Manicheism, which has ever 
 been regarded as heretical. Sin, as our Saviour teaches 
 has its source in the heart—in the higher and immortal 
 
 part of man It is the work of sanctification to overcome 
 sin in the higher nature.” 
 
 These declarations are contrary to Scripture : 
 
 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52.-51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; 
 We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 52 In 
 a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: 
 for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised 
 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
 
 Heb. xii. 23. To the general assembly and church of 
 the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God 
 the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made 
 
 These declarations are contrary to the Standards: 
 Confession of Faith, Chap. XXXII., Sec. I. 
 
 I. The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see 
 corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep) 
 having an immortal subsistence, immediately return 
 to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous being 
 then made perfect in holiness, are received into the high¬ 
 est heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and 
 g ory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies: 
 and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they 
 
85 
 
 remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the 
 judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for 
 souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowl- 
 edgeth none. 
 
 Larger Catechism. 
 
 Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ 
 which the members of the in-visible church enjoy immedi- 
 ately after death f 
 
 A. The communion in glory with Christ, which the 
 members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after 
 death, is in that their souls are then made perfect in holi¬ 
 ness and received into the highest heavens, where they 
 behold the face of God in light and glory ; waiting for the 
 full redemption of their bodies, which even in death con¬ 
 tinue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in their 
 beds, till at the last day they be again united, to their 
 souls. Whereas the souls of the wicked are at their death 
 cast, into hell, where they remain in torments and utter 
 darkness; and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their 
 prisons, until the resurrection and judgment of the great 
 
 Shorter Catechism. 
 
 Q. 37. What benefit do believers receive from 
 their death. 
 
 Christ at 
 
 A. The souls of believers are at their death made per¬ 
 fect in holiness,' and do immediately pass into glor y ; and 
 
 their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their 
 graves till the resurrection. 
 
The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 
 represented by the undersigned Prosecuting Committee, 
 offers in evidence the whole of the said Inaugural Ad¬ 
 dress, both the first and second editions, and all the 
 works of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., quoted 
 therein, in so far as they bear upon this case; also the 
 appendix to the second edition of said Address, and all 
 the works of the said Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D.D., 
 quoted therein, in so far as they bear upon this case; the 
 whole of the Holy Scriptures and the whole of the Stand¬ 
 ards of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of 
 America. 
 
 George W. F. Birch, D.D., 
 Joseph J. Lampe, D.D., 
 
 Robert F. Sample, D.D., 
 
 John J. Stevenson, 
 
 John J. McCook, 
 
 Prosecuting Committee. 
 

 
 
 
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